How Lowe’s CFO Brandon Sink takes on challenges with strategic vision

His journey to CFO didn’t follow a blueprint. It is a story of establishing credibility and trust. Brandon holds degrees in Business Administration and Accounting from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and worked for another Big Four firm as an auditor early in his career. In 15 years at Lowe’s, he’s held roles across accounting, business transformation, corporate strategy and operations finance — before becoming CFO.

In 2018, as a vice president, Brandon served as a liaison to new Lowe’s board members, answering tough questions and providing context on financial performance and strategy in preparation for what was to become one of the more significant transformations in the company’s history. When Marvin Ellison, Lowe’s Chairman and CEO, joined the company shortly thereafter, Brandon’s counsel was again beneficial, giving him the connections and experiences that ultimately prepared him for the CFO role, which he assumed in 2022 following the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Looking back at 2018 and 2019, that was a period of significant transition for Lowe’s,” Brandon recalls. “The company benefited from key leadership changes and made significant shifts in its strategy. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to prove my value and chart a path professionally that was very different from my early years at Lowe’s. I made the transition to a strategic planning role and then became a key finance business partner, which proved to be critically important experiences for me. Those types of moves weren’t typical for someone with my background … it takes a different skill set.”

Maximize every opportunity

“I’ve always had the mindset that you have to make the most and best of the opportunity you have been given,” Brandon says. “You have to put yourself in a position to ensure that you can make an impact.”

His rise through Lowe’s executive ranks is a testament to how great that impact has been. When presented with new opportunities, Brandon didn’t hesitate, even when those opportunities were outside of his comfort zone and he was willing to step up for the new challenges.

“Now that I’m here,” he adds, “I have a great appreciation for the many opportunities that I have been given.”

Brandon’s role as CFO has expanded to require an array of capabilities from shareholder communication, strategic vision and technical expertise to leading teams across multiple functions. Whether negotiating deals, developing company strategies or nurturing relationships with shareholders, Brandon steps in and gets the job done.

He finds a hands-on leadership approach invigorating: “I get a lot of energy from operating in the trenches with the finance and business teams,” he says. “This allows us to iterate on solutions together, challenge each other and ultimately build consensus on the path forward.”

Authenticity drives leadership

For him, success in both his personal and professional life starts with being authentic. “It’s just my style,” he says. “How I approach problems. How I manage. How I lead. What you see is what you get with me.”

At home with his wife of nearly 25 years and their two teenage daughters, in the C-suite and boardroom, in stores, or in the trenches with his finance and business teams, Brandon embodies a hardworking mentality and leads by example. Being authentic means showing up, doing your job and being the best he can be. This perspective has led him to develop the confidence and conviction to know that he’s making sound leadership decisions to help the company remain competitive and resilient.

Stay flexible

As every home D-I-Y-er knows, things don’t always go as planned.

“The environment and the world in which we are operating is so complex and dynamic, you may think you have a viewpoint, a financial plan and a strategy, but often once you get in the middle of it, it’s not what it seems,” Brandon shares. “Don’t shy away,” he advises. “Recognize that you have to pivot and you have to adjust. Appreciate that you’re able to understand these changing conditions and come up with solutions that can put the company in a better place.”

“I’ve always gravitated toward the big, complex problems. The things that were really hard for the organization to solve,” he says. “These are high-risk, high-reward opportunities but ultimately give you the best chance to prove your worth and create value for the company.”

Today’s “big, complex problems” include pressures from tariffs and trade policy, inflation and housing affordability, which directly impact home improvement spend. In response, Lowe’s has become leaner and more agile and has expanded its toolbox to increase Pro penetration, grow online sales and develop best-in-class loyalty programs within its Total Home strategy.

The organization also recently acquired Foundation Building Materials, a leading building materials distributor, to serve larger professional customers in both the commercial and residential markets. This was the largest acquisition in the company’s history, as Lowe’s is placing a big bet on an eventual housing recovery.

Lowe’s is positioning itself as a tech forward retailer, with a comprehensive artificial intelligence (AI) framework to improve “how we sell, how we shop and how we work.” This includes Mylow, an AI-powered virtual home improvement advisor, that is available both on Lowes.com and in the Lowe’s app – as well as in the hands of associates on their mobile devices through the Mylow Companion app. This technology helps customers rapidly solve their home improvement challenges and empowers associates to answer complex customer questions across the many product categories within Lowe’s stores.

With the recent deployment of this technology nationwide, the company is already seeing improvements in customer satisfaction. Lowe’s is also deploying AI solutions to enhance its online user experience, demand planning and inventory management. With these new tools, Lowe’s is improving speed-to-market and helping to ensure that customers can find the products they need, when they need them.

And if your search for the products you need happens to take you to the Denver, North Carolina Lowe’s store, keep an eye out for Brandon. You’re likely to run into him filling his cart for his family’s next home improvement project. He’s always happy to help.